Chapter Four: Emergency

"Can I ask you a question?" I glanced up from where I lounged in the plush chair, cleaning my pistols. The senator of Naboo was dressed elegantly, as usual, her sleeves long and billowing, her hair piled high on her head. I constantly wondered if her neck hurt from the heavy headpieces.

"If it's about your new proposal on the relief effort, I'm really not the person to ask."

She laughed, shaking her head. In the two weeks that I'd been guarding her, she'd taken a liking to me. While I tried not to get attached-something Jango had taught me- I had to admit that I'd taken a liking to her, too.

"No, I know. Though I think you don't give yourself enough credit," she called from where she stood behind her desk. I gave her a smirk and a teasing roll of my eyes, my gaze back on my pistols. "No, I wanted to ask about…" She paused, her tone changing from teasing to somber.

My eyes lifted immediately.

"I wanted to ask about the brand on your arm."

I was quiet for a moment. While I'd maybe call us friends, I didn't think we were that close. Then again, Senator Amidala was of curious nature. So should I have been surprised?

"You called it a brand," I said softly, my focus remaining on the cleaning of the guns. "So you already know what it is."

The senator appeared before me, her hands clasped gently before her purple robes. "You know that's not what I mean."

I looked her up and down before leaning back and regarding her. I wasn't a massive sharing person, despite growing to trust her. Maybe it was a short time, but I could sense her honesty. Her determination to achieve moral goodness.

Still, that was a sensitive topic.

"I really don't think you knowing my deep dark past is a necessity for your protection."

"Maybe I don't feel comfortable not knowing anything about my protector," she countered, trying to convince me.

I smirked, leaning further back in the chair. "Well you already hired me and I feel just fine. Besides, you know my name, as well as my track record as a bounty hunter. Not to mention my already having saved you."

She frowned as she sat across from me, her hands placed delicately in her lap as she thought. If nothing else, I think some part of her enjoyed having me around for the playful banter. Still, her voice was soft when she spoke again.

"I'd still like to know. How long were you a-" Her voice tapered off.

"Slave? You can say the word, you know. It doesn't hurt me."

"Sorry," she offered, but I gave her a merciful smile.

"I'll cut you a deal. You can ask me about my past if I can ask you something about your life."

She beamed. "Deal."

I figured I'd go first. "I was a slave from a young age. I bounced around between owners for some time. The first I remember was Corellia, but I don't know if I was born there or not. I was owned, more or less, by a crime boss there. I was little, so ran petty thief jobs and infiltration jobs." I sighed, rubbing my hand over my forehead. "Local authorities eventually busted the crime ring and we were left to the streets. It didn't take long for me to be picked up and sold to the Zygerrians. That's where I got this." I gestured to the raised white scar on my inner left forearm, depicting the Aurebesh letter.

"S," the senator spoke, her eyes brushing over my forearm. She wanted to touch it, her hand lifting, but dropping to her lap again as she met my gaze. "Why?"

"For slave," I explained, giving a dark chuckle. "But the Zygerrian guards usually said it stood for scum." I sighed, settling into my seat again. "I was sold, finding my way to Tatooine."

"Tatooine?" She seemed surprised.

I lifted my eyebrow, smiling. "You've been there." It wasn't a question.

"Yes, when I was much younger. When I was still the queen of Naboo."

I hummed, tilting my head and reading her, but letting it go. "Well I was sold to Jabba and worked at his palace for some time. He favored me and I won't lie, I was actually treated well. I was one of the few people who could enter the rancor pit without getting eaten alive, so I think he valued that. I kept out of the way and stayed useful. Because I was on Zygerria for so long, I actually picked up a lot of languages. So when his droid shorted out, I stepped in." I shrugged, leaning forward and brushing my fingers over the brand. "He never let anyone touch me. I was only eleven when I entered the palace."

"How did you get to Jango?"

I smiled. "I'm getting there. I'd met Jango when he'd done some jobs for Jabba, but never spoken to him. When I was thirteen, Jabba had sent me as a translator for a bargaining deal with his right hand man. But we never made it. We were in neutral space and attacked by Death Watch. They killed almost everyone, except the slaves, of course."

"They took you," the senator inferred.

Despite my best efforts, I felt shudders run under my skin. "I was only with them for six months, but I'd have traded years and years under the Zygerrians and a thousand brands in order to never have experienced that."

"Did they…" she stopped, unable to complete the question.

I was quiet, but regarded her silently. I didn't answer. I suppose that was an answer in itself, anyways. "They were doing a deal and Jango was there. They didn't like him, but he was transporting the weapons they needed. He saw me and…" I looked past the senator, remembering the way his helmet had tilted as he regarded me. The way his eyes were hard, but softened when they turned to my bruised and beaten form.

"Forget the money," he'd said, his helmet held at his hip. "I'll take the girl." His hand gestured to me, and despite his kind eyes, I felt myself slip into a cower.

"The girl?" a Death Watch member laughed, his voice automated through his helmet. "You're sure?" Jango didn't respond, merely staring hard at the Mandalorian. "Fine," the man said, snapping his fingers. Rough hands grabbed my bruised arms, dragging me to my shaking feet. Despite their brutality, my fire hadn't gone out, my heels digging into the muddy ground and my arms flailing wildly as I tried to pull away.

They threw me down before Jango, one backhanding me across the face. I fell to my hands and knees, spitting out saliva and blood, my lip having split. Jango looked down at me, his face expressionless, before handing over the key to the crates of weapons.

"Pleasure doing business with you, beroya," one of Death Watch spit, before glancing at me. "Enjoy the little slut. We certainly did."

I cringed, flinching away as the man knuckled my cheek and walked away. I trembled before Jango, the bounty hunter watching in silence until Death Watch had receded from the vicinity of his ship. He knelt slowly, his armor shining and perfect.

"Hush now, ad'ika," he spoke gently, his fingers dipping to lift my chin. I shook my head, slapping his hand away. Despite his pitying look, he chuckled lightly, lifting his hands into the air in a peace offering. "You're a fighter." He nodded quietly to himself. "That's good."

He reached for me again, and I lunged backwards, growling in Mando'a through my teeth. "Ne shab'rud'niӧ!" He chuckled lightly again, shaking his head before putting on his helmet.

"Your Mando'a is good," he admitted, offering me his hand gently. When I hesitated, I heard him sigh through his modulator. "I'm not going to hurt you, ad'ika." I still didn't move. He straightened and moved to the ramp of his ship. "Do you want to get off this planet?" he called back. I nodded furiously. "Then you better get on board before I take off."

"It took him a while to coax me out of the inner workings of his ship, but when he did...he took care of me." I smiled to myself. "Taught me. Trained me. Treated me like his own daughter."

The senator watched me quietly, her eyes downcast. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," I offered, forcing myself out of my memories. "Everything that happened...good or bad… made me into who I am. If I wasn't a slave and wasn't in the situation that I was, Jango wouldn't have ever saved me."

"That's a great way of looking at things," she offered, but I saw her downcast eyes.

I hummed, watching her closely. "I know you weren't a fan of him."

She blanched, but shook her head finally. "He did try to kill me."

I laughed genuinely, easing her tension. "Yeah, he did. Not very well, might I add." She laughed at my joke, but I sobered quickly. "I always told him that taking the job was stupid," I said softly. "I told him not to do it, but he told me that I would understand when I was older." I swallowed, thumbing my brand a final time. "The next time I saw him, he was being killed."

The senator was silent for a moment, her thoughts jumbled. I felt her pity, as well as her genuine concern. "So...do you understand now?"

I shook my head, smiling slightly. "No." I swallowed thickly, sitting up to get back to cleaning my pistols, shaking away the nostalgia and sorrow. "So I think I get to ask now."

She allowed my change of subject, waving for me to speak as she stood to grab a drink. "Please do."

I bit my lip, watching her for a moment and smiling. No one was in the room, so I knew I could ask without actually endangering her position. "How long have you and the jedi been a thing?"

She froze mid-pour, stopping to glance at me in shock. She managed to control her expression, letting out a tight laugh. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. Skywalker."

"Anakin? I've known him since he was a little boy. I was actually with the group that found him on Tatooine before bringing him to the Jedi Temple."

"Ah," I chuckled, examining my pistol for a moment. "So it was young love. Tell me, was he stricken with you from the beginning or did it develop over time?" I felt her tension as I laughed again. "No, don't tell me. I can tell he loved you when he met you. He seems like that kind of guy."

The senator cupped her glass of water in her hands as she tried to wave off my words. "The Jedi code strictly forbids love. Why would he love me?"

"He wasn't a jedi when he met you. And no offense to him, but he has very little control over his emotions," I teased, leaning back as I deemed my pistol clean. Her worry radiated off of her in waves, making me decide to ease her tension. "Stop worrying, Senator. I'm good at keeping secrets." She glanced at me, but said nothing. I gave her a smile, and shook my head. "It's okay. I got my answer. Are we done with the game of discovering each other's deep dark secrets, now?"

She didn't respond again, but I straightened, making her frown in confusion. It didn't take her long, though, the woman practically jumping out of her skin as the door opened. She whirled, her hand on her chest, to see Skywalker, flanked by his captain and Senator Organa.

"Oh! An- Master Skywalker," she stuttered, making me smile.

"You seem frightened, Senator," the jedi said lowly, giving me a look.

"Oh, it's nothing," she said, waving in the air to brush it off. "Kida and I were just…" She seemed at a loss, so I jumped in as I stood, slipping my pistol back into its holster.

"I was just telling her my deep dark secrets," I said with a smirk. "The usual chatter."

The jedi hummed, unamused, but Senator Organa seemed unfazed. "The next session is beginning soon, Senator Amidala. We should go."

"Yes," she responded, flustered and rushing to her desk. "Yes, of course."

I sighed, rolling my eyes as I glanced at Bail. "Oh goody," I said sarcastically. "Another long, uneventful session with the Senate."

"It better be uneventful," Skywalker muttered darkly, giving me a side eye. "If you do your job."

"Relax, jetii," I grunted back, the Mando'a word making the captain's head lift slightly. "I've got it under control."

The senator's exited the room, followed closely by the jedi and the captain. I fell in step with the jedi, glancing over his form. I'd seen him multiple times under the guise of him relieving me of watch duty.

"What are you staring at me for?" he asked suddenly, making my eyes flick up to meet his.

"How'd you lose your arm?" I felt everyone tense around me, but Skywalker didn't seem bothered. If anything, he almost rippled with pride.

"I lost it in a duel with Count Dooku when I was a padawan." I blinked for a moment at his response, humming to myself and looking forward. "What? No quip to respond? Nothing about how I clearly lost?"

I smirked, shaking my head. "Dooku isn't someone people mess with. It's a miracle you only lost an arm, especially as a padawan." Skywalker seemed surprised, but nodded slowly. I couldn't help it. "But you did lose, so…"

The senators shook their head in slight amusement and to my pleased surprise, Skywalker laughed too.

We rounded to the Galactic Senate chamber, the senators splitting to find their own repulsor pods. I stood outside the Naboo pod, nodding the Representative Binks as he passed me. Surprisingly, the captain joined me, taking guard on the other side of the door while the jedi went off to find his padawan. I watched the captain leisurely, chuckling at his rigid stance.

"What?" he asked, not fully turning to look at me.

"Nothing," I offered. "You're just making me look bad." That made him look, and while I couldn't see his expression, I could feel his confusion. I laughed, gesturing between the two of us, comparing our stances. He stood rigidly...like a soldier. I less stood than...lounged, draped across the entryway to the repulsor pod, one leg kicked out lazily.

He cleared his throat and looked forward again. "I'm at the ready to protect the senator."

"So am I," I countered, lifting my eyebrow to watch him give me a glance. He didn't say anything. "What? You don't think I am?" He didn't respond again, making me chuckle and give a casual glance back at the senator as she prepared for the session. I was about to speak when my communicator beeped. The captain glanced at me as I rolled my eyes, tapping my wrist and stepping away from the door.

"Good morning, miss," the AI spoke through my wrist comm. I felt the heads turn towards me in curiosity, including both the captain and Senator Amidala.

"Apex, love," I said with a fake smile on my face. "I told you not to call me while I'm working."

"I'm aware," he droned back with sass. "But I assumed emergencies were an exception." My breath hitched. The AI may have had a bit of a bold personality, but he wouldn't call something an emergency if it wasn't.

"What happened? Did the Palliduvan come back?"

"No, miss. There was a break in this morning at the club."

My heart leapt to my throat. "What? How? Why wasn't I called immediately?"

"Apologies," Apex spoke evenly. "But Merl insisted that I didn't notify you."

"Why?"

"Nothing was taken, miss. Merl was able to stop the petty thief."

"I fail to see an emergency, Apex."

"Merl was wounded in the fight. He insisted it wasn't serious, but collapsed a few moments ago."

I whirled, glancing at the senator as she stood in the entryway to her pod, watching me. "Medics?"

"On their way. They'll take him to the hospital."

"Go," the senator spoke immediately. "Master Skywalker can guard me while you're gone. But take Captain Rex with you."

"I don't need-"

She cut me off. "Protecting me has put as big a hit on your head as is on mine. You should have someone to watch your back." I sighed, but she continued. "I'm not asking, Kida. Now go and get back when you can."

I paused, listening while the captain, apparently named Rex, called his general to the Naboo pod. Finally, I nodded. "Thank you, Senator." She gave me a smile and a nod as I turned quickly, expecting Rex to follow. If he didn't, I didn't really care. That wasn't my fault. "Apex," I said into my wrist comm. "Keep me updated on his condition and notify my the moment you know which hospital."

"Of course, miss. Your speeder is on its way to you now."

I hurried from the Senate building, the captain's presence following on my heels. "I can call for Oddball to-"

"No," I called over my shoulder, cutting him off. "We have a ride."

He seemed confused until we reached the edge of the platform, my deep red, open topped speeder rising over the edge. "That's different than your last," he commented, following me as I leapt in.

I gave him a smirk as I gripped the joysticks and maneuvered it away from the platform. "A woman like me can't just have one."

Surprisingly, he gave me a chuckle before sobering. He breathed deeply as I sped us through the Coruscant skies, heading towards a column I knew would lead down to lower levels...closer to my club.

"I'm sorry about your friend," he said, surprising me with how gently he said it.

"He's going to be fine," I responded curtly, tapping my dash to bring it to life with a flash of red light. A sound wave streaked across it as Apex connected, his voice coming through the speakers.

"Medics have arrived. Merl is stable and being transported the third level medic center. Sending navigation now."

"Thanks, buddy," I responded quickly, turning the speeder to begin its descent to the lower levels.

"Of course, miss."

As we dropped lower, Rex regarded me with a curious gaze, despite being hidden below his visor. "Apex is…" he started, unsure how to ask.

I chuckled, letting the captain ease my worry for now. "He's an AI. And a good friend."

"How kind of you to say, miss," Apex cut in from the dash.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't let it go to your processors there, bud."

"An AI," Rex thought aloud. "A droid, then?"

"No. Poor guy is confined to only every computer I grant him access to. Technically he can take over a droid if he wanted. He actually took over my droid, Pinky once."

"Pinky?"

I lifted my eyebrow at Rex's chuckle, navigating the speeder through the crowded tunnels of Coruscant. "Hey, I fixed her up when I was pretty young. I was only...fourteen I think?" I glanced his way to see him tilt his head in amusement. "Naming things wasn't my strong suit, okay?"

"I named myself," Apex tried.

"You did not, now how's Merl?"

"His comms are reading stable signs still, though he's lost a lot of blood," he responded immediately. "You're nearly there."

I hummed to myself in worry, teasing my lip raw and navigating the speeder into the docks for the hospital. Rex followed me inside, both of us earning looks from the workers and patients alike.

"I'm here for Merl. He was brought in from the Fury club only a few minutes ago," I said quickly to the droid at the front desk.

It made some beeps before responding in an automated tone. "Yes, he is currently in surgery. Your relation?"

"I'm his boss." I paused, glancing down at my hands. "And his friend."

It made a few more beeps. "He is currently stable, but has suffered a severe wound to the chest. You may wait here and I will notify you after his procedure has concluded."

I swallowed, nodding frustratingly. Rex led the way to the crowded waiting room, finding us a secluded corner with fewer bodies. I sat heavily beside the clone captain, my gloved hands kneading my eyes.

"I'm sure he's going to be fine. A few days in a bacta tank should clean him up quickly," the captain offered, but I laughed.

"Not everyone can afford those, Captain. Especially down here."

"But you can."

"Sure. But the hospital won't call for one if he can survive without it. Also, in the end, he's a bartender and club manager...he's not someone they'll really fight for.

Rex seemed confused, taking off his helmet slowly and rubbing his gloved hand over his buzzed hair. "Droids can't be biased. It's their programing to save lives."

"Maybe," I responded darkly. "But the droids, in the ned, obey orders. And they aren't the ones who really run the hospital."

The clone fell silent as he thought, likely hyperconscious of the eyes on us.

"Apex," I whispered, tapping my wrist comm again. "Did you get footage of the break in?"

He didn't respond, instead bringing up the footage to project out of my wrist comm. Rex turned and watched with me as a section of wall blew out and a lanky figure stepped through. She was pale and tall, her copper hair pulled high on her head and her eyes dark.

"That bitch," I cussed.

I watched silently as she moved to head towards my office before Merl stepped in, the Weequay fighting hard against the bounty hunter. In the end, she overpowered her elder, which didn't really surprise me. She and I had our own scraps and the results were often close.

"Aurra Sing?" Rex asked, giving me a questioning glance.

"She and I have a bit of a history," I explained vaguely before turning my attention back to Apex. "She wanted to get to my office. Lock it down with blast shields. I want all my files transfered to the hub at home, understand?"

"Yes, miss. Do you want the files erased at the office?"

I sighed, squeezing the bridge of my nose. "Yes. Do it. And when I have time, I'll transfer any spare gear back too. But I want any files on Padme Amidala transferred and erased first. That's probably what she wanted."

"Right away, miss." Apex signed off, making me lean back heavily with a worried sigh.

"Did Aurra and you run jobs together?"

I shrugged. "A few. Never really by choice, though. I'm not a huge fan of her due to her apparent lack of moral judgement." Rex's eyebrow lifted slightly, but he tried to school it down. I laughed anyways. "I know, I know. I shouldn't judge."

"I didn't say that."

"But you thought it." I breathed slowly through my nose. "I also know she's been influencing Boba. And she knows I hate her for it."

"Boba...Fett?"

I nodded, both of us falling silent. After a moment, I spoke to the face of Jango, but a soul of another man entirely. "I was there on Geonosis, you know. I'd gone because I'd heard about the jedi collecting a clone army. I knew it was Jango's army. I had...I had to save him." I looked up at the ceiling, trying to balance my worry for Merl and the mourning for Jango that seemed to have surfaced again. "I was there when the clones descended on the arena. When Jango was stupid and jumped into the fighting only to get killed."

"His life wasn't your burden," Rex spoke. I wasn't sure why he felt that he had to console me...but for some reason, I appreciated it.

"He was family," I responded quietly, my sorrow turning my chest cold.

Rex seemed shocked. "He… I wasn't aware that Jango had-"

I cut him off with a light chuckle. "Aliit ori'shya tal'din."

Rex hummed, nodding in agreement. "So what about Boba? Did he know you?"

"Yes. I met him when he was only a baby. And while I was off doing jobs a lot of the time and didn't live with them on Kamino, I visited a lot as he grew older."

"So why didn't you take him in? Mentor him like his father did for you?"

I sighed deeply. "I tried. After Jango died, I was the one who got Boba out of there. But he wanted nothing to do with me. He said that I betrayed Jango by abandoning him. By not jumping in and saving him." I shook my head. "What was I supposed to do? Fight a jedi? Fight an army of men who look just like Jango?"

Rex watched me carefully, his eyes sliding over the planes of my face curiously.

"Maybe he's right," I admitted. "And he has a right to feel that way and find his own path, but Aurra will use him. Use his anger and his hatred to mold him into something his father wouldn't be proud of."

Rex was quiet for a moment. "In time, we all learn. He'll figure it out."

I chuckled. "You sound like Jango."

"Is that a good thing?"

"For now."

We fell silent for a while, sitting together in solidarity. While I didn't think I needed someone to watch my back, I wondered if the senator knew I'd benefit from having someone with me for comfort.

"So your name is Rex," I said finally, smiling softly.

He chuckled. "Yes. And you run a club."

I hummed softly in response, but turned to look at him curiously. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why didn't you ask?"

I pursed my lips, nodding in agreement. "Valid point. How's Jesse's face by the way?"

Rex laughed softly, aware of the eyes that remained on us. "He's milking it, but he's fine."

"Didn't hit him hard enough, then," I teased. Rex chuckled, but I could tell he was growing tense under the gazes cast our way. "Ignore them," I advised softly, casting my gaze around harshly to make them look away.

"They're staring because I'm a clone."

"Yes," I responded, casting him a look. "You have to understand that down here in the lower levels, we don't see clones as soldiers."

"What are we then?"

"Honestly?" I whispered back. "Clones are the dogs of the Republic down here. We rarely see your brothers outside of hunting down criminals and accompanying jedi."

Rex breathed slowly through his nose. "The dogs."

I shrugged. "You asked."

"You don't have much of a bedside manner."

"And the Kaminoans did?" I chuckled, rolling my eyes. "If you want bedside manner, I'm really not the person to talk to." He hummed, looking down at his gloved hands. I glanced at him, feeling his confusion and disappointment. It made him sad that he and his brothers were viewed that way. "But hey, not that it will probably help, but you and your brothers are certainly changing my perspective."

He cast me a glance, but said nothing. Despite that, I could feel his gratitude. He swallowed thickly before looking up, gently nudging my elbow with his own. I looked up in turn, seeing a droid approaching.

"You're here for Merl Daario?" it asked in its automated tone. I stood immediately, Rex rising beside me.

"Is he alright?" I didn't hate droids, but I hated that I couldn't read them as I could living creatures. Droids had no understanding of the force and the force didn't move through them. It left me blind.

"He is out of surgery and stable. He has asked for you."

I pushed past the droid immediately, making my way to the recovery rooms. I scanned each name above the doors until I found my friend's room, bursting in.

The elder Weequay lifted his head from his cot, giving me a lopsided smile. "Hey, kid. What took you so long?"

I smiled, seeing his stable readings on the monitor. "Hey, what did I say about getting hurt when I'm away on business?" I teased, crossing my arms and walking towards him.

He laughed, but stopped suddenly. At first, I thought it was from pain, but then I saw his eyes flick over my shoulder.

"Who's the clone?"

Rex tensed behind me, but I gestured him in easily. "This is Captain Rex of the 501st. Senator Amidala sent him with me when Apex called me."

"She thought you needed a bodyguard?"

I hummed. "He's a good fighter. It might to have someone watching my back for once."

Merl chuckled slightly, rolling his eyes. "I'm so glad you listen to a senator before me." I smiled, walking to his bedside easily. Rex, however, remained near the door, rigid and watching the hall. "You can relax, clone," Merl spoke past me. Rex glanced at him, still holding his helmet at his side. "I'm sure Apex has been running inside the hospital since Kida hit the front desk. He'll watch the halls for us."

Rex's eyebrow lifted as he turned to give me a look. I smiled slightly, giving him a shrug. "I slipped a popper onto the back of the computer module while the droid accessed its database. It'll be easier to keep an eye on Merl when I have to go back to work."

"Why did you leave anyways? You have money to make," Merl scolded, gently swatting my arm.

"You could've been killed."

"And racing to my bedside would fix that?" I went to argue, but he stopped me, his eyes gazing over the both of us. I felt his nerves spike, my mind following his thoughts easily. He never really liked me doing it, but got used to my gentle mental prodding over the years.

"What?" I asked, trying to make sense of his thoughts without pushing too hard on his mind.

"Aurra. It was Aurra who broke in."

"We know," Rex spoke up. "Apex sent Kida the footage."

Merl gave me a look, his lips grinding together angrily. I furrowed my eyebrows, not following, but his thoughts practically screamed at me. I blinked, glancing back at Rex with horror on my face and disbelief at my own stupidity rolling off of me.

"Kriff," I cussed. I grasped Merl's hand in my own briefly, giving him a kiss on his cheek. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologize," he yelled as I rushed past Rex and into the hallway. "Just stop her!"

Rex followed on my heels immediately, his own mind racing as he tried to catch up. "Apex," I called into my wrist comm, dodging nurse droids and patients alike. "Keep an eye on him and start my speeder."

"Yes, miss. No alarms have been triggered at the Senate Building."

"She did it on purpose," Rex put together as we exited the building and hopped into my speeder. "Aurra knew you'd go to him and leave Senator Amidala alone."

"And I did just what she wanted," I growled, maneuvering the speeder wildly through the bustling streets.

"You couldn't have known," Rex offered, but I could feel his own frustration and anxiety.

I breathed slowly through my nose, trying to stay focused on getting to the surface and back the Senator's side. "But I should've." Rex glanced at me, but said nothing, somehow knowing I couldn't be consoled.

As my speeder shot through the tunnels of Coruscanti underground, slowly bringing me closer to the person I was being paid to protect, I thought aloud to myself nervously. "We have to make it. We have to."

-/-/-/-

Mando'a

Ad'ika - little one

Beroya - Bounty hunter

Vod - brother

Jetii - Jedi

Aliit ori'shya tal'din - family is more than blood

Ne shab'rud'niӧ - Don't mess with me (very strong Mando'a threat, usually followed with violence)